Civic and Political Activities
Lavender also has been active in civic and political affairs, serving as advisor to Miami Beach mayor, Seymour Gelber, serving as vice-chair and Commissioner of the Miami Beach Housing Authority, chairing the city's Homeless Committee, and serving as a member of the city's Safety Committee. He is on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Miami, and has conducted extensive genealogical research. An academic and personal area of interest, used in genealogical and historical research, is DNA. His strongest personal genetic matches are in Spain, especially among the chuetas (Marranos) of the island of Mallorca. His direct paternal ancestor, Benjamin Lavender, settled in the Sumter, Turbeville, New Zion areas of South Carolina c. 1790, and among Dr. Lavender's recent presentations is “Where in the World are Benjamin Lavender’s Distant Male Cousins?” (“¿Donde Están en el Mundo los Primos Distantes de Benjamin Lavenda?”), presented in Turbeville, S.C., in August 2010. With thirteen Y-chromosome markers, the answers are, in order, Italy (especially Marche); Cologne, Germany; Central Portugal; the United States (4 European background, 2 Hispanic background, and 1 African background), Brazil (especially Rio Grande Do Sul), and Warsaw, Poland.
Lavender is also a frequent speaker to academic, civic, and genealogical groups, with frequent presentations about the Sephardic Jews of Spain and Portugal, and their descendants in North America and South America. Recent presentations have included "The Secret Jews of Brazil." Other favorite topics include Miami Beach history, political behavior, and DNA, and recent presentations include "The Secret Society of Moses according to Flavio Barbiero." His academic visits have included Portugal, Spain, and Israel.
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